


Missing Pieces

by afewmistakesago



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, feat baby gideon, i am still shook, missing scenes from the finale, this is not canon divergent bc they literally got a happy ending on the show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 01:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10934007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afewmistakesago/pseuds/afewmistakesago
Summary: Three things that happened in the time between Rumple and Belle finding baby Gideon and them attending dinner at Granny's.Their first session with Dr. Hopper, their first kiss since reuniting, and the return of Belle's wedding ring.





	Missing Pieces

Though they’d been together for years at this point, Rumplestiltskin still surprised Belle. She expected a fight when she calmly informed him she made an appointment at Dr. Hopper’s for them, but he simply nodded and asked what time. She stepped closer to him, repeating where exactly they were going.

He looked up from the armchair he was sitting in where he was feeding Gideon from a bottle. “Belle, I heard you the first time,” he said, his voice calm, not irritated like she expected.

She narrowed her eyes a bit. “And you’re not going to argue with me about this?”

Rumple shrugged, looking back down at their son, completely comfortable in his arms. “Sweetheart, I want to make this work. For him. For us. If you want to see that cricket, I’m not going to argue with you.”

“Oh,” Belle said, pursing her lips and nodding. “Okay. It’s in an hour.”

She smiled as she retreated to the kitchen for breakfast. He really did want to be the best man he could be for them, treasuring every second he got with their newly-returned baby. An hour later, they were on Dr. Hopper’s couch, Gideon asleep in her arms. The redheaded man smiled at them, but was clearly unsettled by Rumple’s presence.

“I see your son is a baby again,” Archie said, the question clear in his voice.

Belle shifted the baby carefully in her arms. “Yes,” she said. “From what we’ve gathered, he killed Emma - fulfilling the destiny the Black Fairy forced on him - but when the Final Battle was over, he just… returned to being a baby. We’re just thankful it somehow happened and he’s okay.”

Archie nodded, trying to take that in. For all of Storybrooke’s oddities, this may have been the strangest one he’d witnessed yet. “And you’re here today because...”

“Because we have to figure out where to go from here in a way that’s healthy for both of us, and our son,” Belle said, looking at Rumple. Rumple, of course, was paying no attention to Archie, watching his son, whose eyes had opened, mesmerized as Gideon gripped one of his fingers with his five tiny ones. “Rumple,” she said softly.

Her husband turned to look at the doctor. “I agree with whatever Belle said.”

“Okay…” Archie began, “Where do you _want_ to go from here?”

They both paused, looking at each other and then down at their baby.

“To start off with, you both want to have a part in raising Gideon?” he asked, trying to jump start conversation.

They both agreed, and Archie smiled as Belle cooed at Gideon. “Do you want to trade off time co-parenting, or live together?” he continued.

Belle spoke first. “I want to live together.”

“I want that, too,” Rumple agreed softly.

“Okay. And do you want to live together as a romantically involved couple?” Archie probed further, and then avoided Rumple’s hard gaze to stare at a potted plant.

Belle sighed. Rumple shifted, and she could tell the question had made him uncomfortable. She also knew he wouldn’t think he deserved to be in any kind of relationship with her. Belle didn’t want to assume he wanted to be in a romantic relationship with her. So much had happened between them in the last month, did he even still want her that way? They hugged and held hands and the like while dealing with the adult Gideon situation, but that was two people leaning on each other for support in a time of crisis. She didn’t really know what he wanted now.

At the couple’s lack of immediate response, Archie switched tactics. “Mr. Gold, tell me the first three words you would use to describe Belle.”

She bit her lip as Rumple reflected for a moment, a kind look in his deep brown eyes. “Wife, mother to my child, light.”

Archie nodded. “Belle, same task.”

“Husband, father to my child… Dark One.” Belle looked at Rumple, shaking her head as she spoke the last one. “I’m sorry -”

“I’ve never denied what I am, Belle,” he said, placing an arm around her.

Archie smiled. “That’s a good start, you two. Belle, does Mr. Gold’s power bother you?”

She took a deep breath, her fingers gently tracing Gideon’s sleepy face. “Not so much the power, or even the darkness, but the lying. I can’t stand lying.”

“I lie to you for your protection, Belle,” Rumple said quickly. “I know it’s not a good enough excuse, but it’s always been true.”

“I know,” Belle said, shaking her head gently. “But we’re better as a team, Rumple. If something’s going wrong or you’re planning something, I need you to have the courage to let me in.”

He was quiet for a moment before meeting her gaze. “You’re right.”

Archie was scribbling notes furiously, looking up at them again. The doctor was noticeably more relaxed than he had been when they’d first entered his office.  “It seems you both have your hearts in the right places,” he said. “I can’t fix all your problems in one session, but you’re both fully committed to each other and to raising your son, yeah?”

They both nodded, Belle reaching to hold Rumple’s hand and squeeze it. “My wedding ring,” she said suddenly. “I remember where I put it. It’s in my library desk drawer.”

Rumple looked at her, his eyebrows furrowing. “Do you want to wear it again?”

“Do _you_ want me to?”

“To be completely honest with you, Belle, I think that would be the second-most beautiful sight I could possibly see. The first is Gideon,” Rumple said with a grin. It was so unusual to see him smile like that, she couldn’t help but smile back.

Archie was beaming. “Belle, that’s an excellent way to show your commitment to each other. Put it on whenever you’re ready.”

Their session was soon over, and they scheduled weekly appointments for the rest of the year or until no longer necessary. Belle felt a little lighter as they left, happy some of their issues would be put out into the air and that Rumple was receptive to therapy.

\---

The first time she kissed him again was after he’d magically produced dinner for the two of them. Belle had just put Gideon down to sleep, a long, drawn-out affair, mostly because she never wanted to leave him alone. He supposed it was like any normal first-time mother’s separation anxiety, even just rooms apart, but her fears were even more intense given she had originally lost her baby. They’d had Gideon back for three days at that point, and Belle had been working herself ragged between arranging a nursery, baby proofing their home, and feeding and changing Gideon.

He pleaded with her to just let him do everything, but she said the baby should experience a mother’s touch and not just a magic touch. He could tell she wasn’t kidding by the stern tone in her voice, but helped as much as she would let him, relishing every moment he got to hold his son. Rumple almost suggested they keep a journal to see who had held him last and for what duration of time, but he figured they had Gideon’s whole life to spend time with him. They’d each get their due. So, when he stepped away from watching her rock the baby, it was the least he could do to make sure her favorite burgers and fries were on the kitchen table.

Belle walked out, not noticing the set table with food prepared. “He’s down,” she said, “He’ll be up in a few hours to eat, but he’s asleep now. Oh - Rumple,” Belle said with a gasp, finally seeing the food. “You got my favorite dinner? You didn’t have to do that.”

“Sweetheart,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Have you eaten at all today? You deserve whatever you want. And it’s not exactly hard for me to get it here.”

“Thank you,” she said, her arms around his shoulders. They held each other’s gaze for a moment before her eyes traveled to his lips. Before he knew it, they were kissing like overeager teenagers, her hands traveling to cup his face. “Rumple-” Belle said finally, short of breath. “I would like to continue, but I am actually starving.”

They sat down at the table, and he noticed she seemed troubled by something. “What is it?” he asked. He hadn’t heard anything on the baby monitor, but turned to look at it anyway.

“It’s not Gideon, it’s - it’s silly,” Belle said, blushing. “But Rumple, could you poof up a chocolate shake?”

He shook his head. “Really, Belle?” he asked, teasing in his voice. “And what will I get in return?”

She laughed. “Do you want me to make a deal with you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “A chocolate shake for… making out with you on the couch. Until I have the overwhelming urge to check on Gideon again.”

“You get that urge every three minutes,” he said drily.

“Then you can just take a rain-check until the urge becomes every ten minutes,” she countered.

“It’s a deal. My wife, the deal maker,” he said, hand on his chest. “Who would’ve thought?”

With a snap of his fingers, a huge shake with whipped cream and a cherry was in front of her. Belle rolled her eyes. “Show-off. It didn’t have to be this fancy.”

“I could take it away -” he said, but she’d already swiped whipped cream with her finger, giggling. There was a cry from the baby monitor, and Rumple stood up, watching Belle’s shoulders slump. “Just keep eating,” he said. “I’m fine until later, don’t worry.”

“What would I do without you?” she asked, before taking a gracious bite of her burger.

Belle had to know that sentiment was mutual.

\---

He really, really, did not want to go to dinner. They’d received the invitation the day prior. It would be Granny’s lackluster food in the diner that would be filled with people who hated him or merely tolerated him. They did not deserve to see Gideon, especially after half of them wanted to kill him just days prior.

Belle really, really wanted to go to dinner. She wanted to put on a bright smile, a beautiful dress, and show them how put-together they were. Belle wanted others to coo over her baby the same way she had cooed over theirs. It wasn’t hard to tell who would win the debate on if they should attend or not.

“Rumple,” Belle called as she put on her earrings. “Did you find that little cap I had wanted for Gideon?”

“Yes,” he said, “He’s all ready for his first outing,” he said, walking into the room, holding their boy all swaddled and ready to go. “I think the excitement is getting to him,” he said seriously.

Gideon blinked, surely about to fall asleep. “That’s my good boy,” Belle whispered, taking him from Rumple’s arms.

“Can we stop by the shop first?” Rumple asked, “I’ve got something there I need for the house.”

“Sure,” Belle said with a shrug. “But pretty soon we’ll either have to baby proof that whole thing. Or just condemn it. I can stop by the library, too. There’s a book I want.”

He held back a laugh. She’d been more and more vocal about preferring he spend more time at their home rather than the shop. He had tried to explain that being surrounded by magic he understood was comforting, but understood her point, especially now that they had a baby.

When they were both ready to go, Rumple drove Belle to the library and took a now sleeping Gideon with him, enchanting the bassinet they’d already had in the shop to gently rock him. “Hey,” Belle said gently, passing the curtain.

“Hey,” he said. “Did you find your book?”

“No - oh, that’s sweet,” she said, looking at Gideon.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t find your book,” he said, and she shrugged.

Belle smiled, stepping close to him. “I found something else,” she said sweetly.

Studying her eager face, he felt more inclined to tell her she was beautiful than ask what she’d found. Before he could do either, she produced a glittering wedding ring. _Her_ wedding ring. “Would you put it back on me?”

“Of course,” he said, unexpectedly choked up. He took the ring from her reverently, and she extended her left hand to him. Sliding it on her finger, Rumplestiltskin had never felt more lucky to have someone so forgiving, especially to a man like him who hardly deserved it. “Belle,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “Why you give me so many second chances -”

“Rumple,” she said, placing her hand on his chest. “I told you, this,” she motioned between him and Gideon. “Is our happy beginning. You, me, and Gideon. The family we always wanted to be. We’re going to be okay.”

Her smile and belief in their family was so pure, he had to believe her. “Now,” she said, looking serious. “We can’t be late to dinner. Come on.”

“I have an idea,” Rumple said suddenly. Belle paused from where she was, reaching to pick up Gideon. “And it will only make us a little late.”

“Rumple…” she said, her voice not quite yet annoyed. She stepped towards him. “What is it?”

He snapped his fingers, and the familiar tune of the song they’d danced to on their honeymoon began to play. She broke into a smile as he held her close, and she laughed into his shoulder. “Belle,” he fake-scolded. “You’ll wake the baby.”

She nodded, stepping away. “Let’s try this again.”

He took her hand, and away they went, gently swaying to the music they both held so fondly in their memory. Belle wasn’t sure how the Dark One was really such a romantic at heart, but she was glad he was. He was just her kind of romantic, and he was hers, forever.


End file.
